A view from the hip

How to Make Caramel Apples - eHow.com

Just in time for halloween
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. water
4 firm apples
chopped nuts (optional)
microwave-safe bowls
chocolates (optional)
baking sheets
14-oz. bag caramels
4 popsicle sticks
Steps:
1. Buy good, firm apples such as Granny Smith.

2. Wash apples, remove stems and dry with a kitchen towel.

3. Push one stick into the center of each apple. Push into the top of the apple, where the stem would be. Set apples aside. (Image 1)

4. Unwrap caramels and place with the water in a large microwaveable bowl.

5. Microwave on High until caramels are melted, stirring every minute. (Image 2)

6. Remove caramel mixture from microwave.

7. Hold each apple by the stick and dip into hot caramel sauce, turning to coat. Let excess drip back into pan. Scrape caramel off the bottom of the apple with a knife, or use the edge of the bowl. (Image 3)

8. Place coated apples on a greased baking sheet and put in refrigerator for 15 minutes or more, until caramel is set. (Image 4)

9. Store caramel apples in the refrigerator.

Tips:
While the caramel is still warm, roll the apple in nuts or make a candy face.

After the caramel has set, drizzle the apple with melted chocolate for a special treat.

Apples will keep for about two weeks in the refrigerator.

Wired News: Creating the Global Hot Spot

Telecom giant Inmarsat is weeks away from launching the second in a series of two super-satellites — designed to be among the most powerful commercial communications spacecraft in orbit — that will beam broadband data and voice services to almost any location on the planet.

Instead of cruising for a Starbucks, BGAN subscribers can hit the road with a portable terminal as small as their laptop computer and surf the web — or connect with the office LAN — at broadband speeds of up to 492 Kbps.

“The network will cover 88 percent of the globe’s landmass,” said Chris McLaughlin, vice president of corporate communications for Inmarsat in London.

The satellite will harvest power from the sun by deploying massive solar panels that almost span the width of a football field. The panels will also act as solar sails, using the pressure of particles from the sun to provide additional propulsion in orbit.

It doubt it will be in the US for quite some time. Current telco and cable lobbyists will be dropping big bucks to make sure this doesn’t get a foot hold in the US. We have a funny kind of capitalism here. There are two real important aspects of true capitalism. Those are, the equal playing field for all and because of this the prices consumers pay will be reduced. But not US capitalism. If a comapny, or industry, can afford the lobbyists they will put up as many barriers to entering thee market as they can afford, so they don’t have to have price wars with new, emerging companies.

Oligopolies- A market condition in which sellers are so few that the actions of any one of them will materially affect price and have a measurable impact on competitors.

Accidental invention could light up the future - LiveScience - MSNBC.com

The main light source of the future will almost surely not be a bulb. It might be a table, a wall, or even a fork.

An accidental discovery announced this week has taken LED lighting to a new level, suggesting it could soon offer a cheaper, longer-lasting alternative to the traditional light bulb. The miniature breakthrough adds to a growing trend that is likely to eventually make Thomas Edison’s bright invention obsolete.

The new device gives off a warm, yellowish-white light that shines twice as bright and lasts 50 times longer than the standard 60 watt light bulb.

The only downside is the cost. Even though prices for LED bulbs are dropping, the bulbs I used ranged from $26.95 (Sun’s Dusk) to $34.95 (Vivid and Color Changing) to $44.95 (Vivid +). They’re where compact fluorescent bulbs were just a few years ago.

As prices continue to fall we’ll see new designs with more LEDs and higher lumen output giving CFLs a huge run for the money. In the meantime, you should think about trying a LED bulb.

The Redneck Theology

The term “redneck” is often misunderstood by those north of the Mason-Dixon line. Many Yankees misunderstand this beloved term of endearment and treat the word as if it were some kind of insult. A true Southerner understands that achieving the state of Redneck is a noble pursuit. The guiding principles of Redneck philosophy are easily misunderstood by outsiders, so let’s take a closer look at the goals of those who strive for the state of Redneck

a true Redneck does not feel the need to impress people with the outward trappings of their Redneck lifestyle and is perfectly comfortable in an Armani suit and BMW.

The true Redneck is at-peace with the world. They always feel safe (not just because they have guns in every room of their home), and they are not concerned with what others may think of their Redneck lifestyle.

A true Redneck does not respect man-made timelines and lives life one day at a time. A true redneck may put a car up on-blocks for a decade before restoring it

A true Redneck will follow their tastes and desires without regard for social customs and “appropriate” behavior.

A real redneck know details about every one of their ancestors who fought in the Civil War and American Revolution.

A true redneck will also participate in ware reenactments as a way of honoring the redneck sacrifices of their ancestors.

Sure, the tenets and promises of the Redneck Theology seem like unachievable goals, but I’m told that with years of conscientious study and practice, a true state of Redneck is achievable, even for a sinner like me.

I never considered the theology of rednecks. When ever I thought ‘redneck’ this guy would always pop into my head.

This guy uses math in his art. He doesn’t use fractals to create his art. He does’t employ phi to create his art. His art simply consists of equations. There’s something about it that just kind of draws me in, I like both art and math. It doesn’t look like he puts too much work into his work.

Euler’s relation links five of the most fundamental concepts in mathematics in a simple and elegant formula. It says that when viewed in a particular way, the concepts of one and zero are the same as the concepts of the exponential power, e, the imaginary number, i, and the irrational number p.